Sign up to receive free email alerts when patent applications with chosen keywords are publishedSIGN UP

Abstract:

A system and method for monitoring for a distressed sound is disclosed.
The system comprises a noise detection module configured to monitor
ambient noise through a microphone on a digital telephony device
operating in an idle state and determine an ambient noise level. A sound
processing module is configured to process sounds received from the
microphone that have an amplitude a selected amount greater than an
amplitude of the ambient noise and determine if the processed sounds
match a predetermined statistical model of a distressed sound. An
assistance request module is configured to send a request for assistance
via the digital telephony device for processed sounds that match the
predetermined statistical model of the distressed sound.

Claims:

1. A method of monitoring for a distressed sound using an array of
digital telephony devices in communication with a digital telephony
server, comprising: monitoring an amplitude of an ambient noise level
using a microphone on at least one digital telephony, device in the array
of digital telephony devices when the digital telephony device is
operating in an idle state; processing sounds detected by the microphone
that have an amplitude that is a selected amount greater than the
amplitude of the ambient noise; identifying the processed sounds that
substantially match a predetermined statistical model of a distressed
sound; and sending a request for assistance, via the digital telephony
device, related to the distressed sound that matches the predetermined
statistical model.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the ambient noise level
further comprises monitoring the ambient noise level with a digital
signal processor operating in each of the at least one digital telephony
devices, respectively.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing the sounds
detected by the microphone at the digital telephony server.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a statistical model
for a plurality of distressed sounds.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting the digital
telephony device to record audio received by the microphone when the
processed sound matches the predetermined statistical model.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein sending a request for assistance
further comprises sending a request for assistance at a location of the
digital telephony device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining a location of
the digital telephony device through information contained on the digital
telephony server.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending an amplitude
characteristic from the digital telephony device to the digital telephony
server with each request for assistance.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising analyzing the amplitude
characteristic from a plurality requests for assistance to determine a
location of the request based on a digital telephony device reporting a
greatest amplitude characteristic.

10. A system for monitoring for a distressed sound comprising: a noise
detection module configured to monitor ambient noise through a microphone
on a digital telephony device operating in an idle state and determine an
ambient noise level; a sound processing module configured to process
sounds received from the microphone that have an amplitude a selected
amount greater than an amplitude of the ambient noise and determine if
the processed sounds match a predetermined statistical model of a
distressed sound; and an assistance request module configured to send a
request for assistance via the digital telephony device for processed
sounds that match the predetermined statistical model of the distressed
sound.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of digital
telephony devices connected to a digital telephony server, with a
selected number of the digital telephony devices licensed to operate the
noise detection module, the sound processing module, and the assistance
request module.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a processor configured to
process the sounds received from the microphone, the processor selected
from the group consisting of a digital signal processor (DSP), a field
programmable gate array (FPGA) processor, a central processing unit
(CPU), a microcontroller, and an application specific integrated circuit
(ASIC).

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the noise detection module is further
configured to determine calculate an average ambient noise level over a
selected time period.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the sound processing module is
further configured to identify an amplitude characteristic of a processed
sound that matches the predetermined statistical model of the distressed
sound.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the assistance request module is
further configured to send the amplitude characteristic with the request
for assistance to a telephony server to enable the telephony server to
identify an approximate location of the distressed sound when multiple
requests for assistance are received in a selected period.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the assistance detection module is
further configured to communicate a location of the digital telephony
device with the request for assistance.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the assistance request module is
further configured to communicate an audio track received by the
microphone to an audio storage device for a selected period of time after
the request for assistance has been transmitted.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the assistance request module is
further configured to communicate at least one of video information and
environmental information for a selected period of time after the request
for assistance has been transmitted.

19. A method of monitoring for a distressed sound using a digital
computing device in communication with a digital telephony device,
comprising: monitoring ambient noise using a microphone coupled to the
digital computing device when the digital computing device is operating
in an idle state; identifying sounds that substantially match a
predetermined statistical model of a distressed sound; and sending a
request for assistance related to the distressed sound to from the
digital computing device to an assisting party via the digital telephony
service.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein monitoring ambient noise further
comprises monitoring ambient noise using a microphone coupled to the
digital computing device, wherein the digital computing device is
selected from the group consisting of a cellular telephone, a handheld
computing device, a tablet computing device, a desktop computing device,
and a laptop computing device.

Description:

BACKGROUND

[0001] Employee safety and security are considered to be very important in
the workplace. Companies often spend significant amounts of time and
money training employees and providing security features to ensure their
safety. However, even companies that have significant financial resources
are limited in the amount of infrastructure that can be installed. It is
often difficult to detect danger or accidents in substantially every part
of a factory or office building. This can be especially true for
employees working during non-core business hours, such as at night or
during the weekend. The increased risk can be costly to both employees
and companies.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0002] Features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the
detailed description which follows, taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, which together illustrate, by way of example,
features of the invention; and, wherein:

[0003]FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an example system for
monitoring for a distressed sound in accordance with one example
embodiment of the present invention;

[0004]FIG. 2 illustrates an example waveform analyzed by the system of
FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0005]FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an example device configured
to operate the system of FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention;

[0006]FIG. 4 illustrates an example flow diagram of a process for
monitoring a distressed sound in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention; and

[0007]FIG. 5 depicts a flow chart of a method for monitoring a distressed
sound in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0008] Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments
illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the
same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope
of the invention is thereby intended.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Definitions

[0009] As used herein, the term "substantially" refers to the complete or
nearly complete extent or degree of an action, characteristic, property,
state, structure, item, or result. For example, an object that is
"substantially" enclosed would mean that the object is either completely
enclosed or nearly completely enclosed. The exact allowable degree of
deviation from absolute completeness may in some cases depend on the
specific context. However, generally speaking the nearness of completion
will be so as to have the same overall result as if absolute and total
completion were obtained. The use of "substantially" is equally
applicable when used in a negative connotation to refer to the complete
or near complete lack of an action, characteristic, property, state,
structure, item, or result.

[0010] As used herein, the term "array of digital telephony devices"
include two or more digital telephony devices in communication with a
single telephony server.

Example Embodiments

[0011] An initial overview of technology embodiments is provided below and
then specific technology embodiments are described in further detail
later. This initial summary is intended to aid readers in understanding
the technology more quickly but is not intended to identify key features
or essential features of the technology nor is it intended to limit the
scope of the claimed subject matter. The following definitions are
provided for clarity of the overview and embodiments described below.

[0012] The use of digital telephony networks in businesses is quickly
becoming ubiquitous. Office buildings, factories, and other places of
business often have hundreds, or even thousands of telephones distributed
throughout a building. The digital telephones can offer a wide variety of
services, such as call forwarding, teleconferencing, and even video phone
conferencing.

[0013] The digital telephones receive and transmit digital information
containing the voice and data used in modern day communications. Each
digital telephone typically includes a digital signal processor (DSP) or
other type of microprocessor used to process audio to digital packets and
vice versa. When the telephones are not in use then these microprocessors
are typically substantially idle.

[0014] With the wide distribution of telephones throughout a building,
telephones can be employed to monitor conditions throughout a building.
Many types of office phones include a hands-free microphone that can be
used for teleconferencing. The hands-free microphone in a standard
desktop phone typically includes a high gain amplifier that is
specifically designed to detect and amplify voices.

[0015] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention,
telephones that are not in use can be configured to monitor ambient noise
and to detect selected distressed sounds that may signify a need for
help. The telephones can then send a distress call to a predetermined
phone number with a message asking for assistance at the location where
the distressed sound occurred.

[0016] The ability to use existing infrastructure in office buildings to
provide added security is a significant benefit to businesses. Employees
and other occupants of a building can also benefit from knowing that help
can be summoned from almost any location within a building.

[0017] For instance, an employee with access to a lab may go to work on a
weekend to complete a project. An accident, such as an explosion or
chemical spill may occur in the lab that may render the employee unable
to locate a phone or other emergency activation device. If additional
employees are not present in the lab then the employee may have
difficulty obtaining assistance.

[0018] However, a number of phones are likely positioned throughout the
lab. One or more of the phones can be configured to monitor the sounds in
the lab through the microphone(s) available on one or more of the phones.
The sounds detected by each microphone can be processed and analyzed by
the digital signal processor in the corresponding phone. While a digital
signal processor is commonly used in examples throughout the
specification it can be appreciated that other types of processors may
also be used to process the detected sounds, such as a field programmable
gate array (FPGA) processor, a central processing unit, a
microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and
the like. If the processed sound matches a predetermined acoustic model
of a distressed sound then one or more of the phones in the lab can send
a request for assistance that is related to the distressed sound.

[0019] Predetermined statistical models can be words or phrases, such as
"HELP", "HELP ME", "FIRE", and so forth. A predetermined statistical
model can also be created for other types of sounds that may signify an
accident or emergency, such as the sound of breaking glass, the sound of
an explosion, the sound of a gunshot, or an extended period of loud
communication such as shouting. This will be described in more detail
below.

[0020] When the digital signal processor in the phone determines that a
detected sound substantially matches one or more of the predetermined
statistical models then a request for assistance can be sent via the
phone to a predetermined destination, such as to company security or an
external emergency response group such as the local police. The request
for assistance may include information, such as the type of sound
detected. For instance, a message can be sent identifying whether the
detected sound was a call for help, a gun shot, an explosion, or other
type of distressed sound. Such information can enhance the response
team's ability to respond effectively to the emergency.

[0021] One difficulty in monitoring sounds that occur in a typical school,
business, or other type of building is the detection of unintended words
or phrases. For example, a person may ask a colleague for help with an
assignment. The vocalization of this word may be received and analyzed by
one or more phones in the vicinity, resulting in a request for assistance
from a sound that is incorrectly interpreted as a distressed sound. The
detection of everyday language could potentially create a large number of
false positives reported as distressed sounds.

[0022] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a
digital telephone can be configured to monitor ambient noise levels
within a room. An average ambient noise level can be measured over a
predetermined period. When audio is detected with an amplitude that is a
selected amount greater than the ambient noise level then that audio can
be processed by the digital signal processor in the digital telephone to
determine if the processed sound matches a predetermined acoustic model
of a distressed sound, as previously discussed. The number of false
positives can be significantly reduced by limiting the audio that is
compared with statistical models to sounds that are a selected amount
greater than the ambient noise level in a room.

[0023]FIG. 1 illustrates an example system 100 for monitoring for a
distressed sound in accordance with one example embodiment of the present
invention. The system is comprised of a noise detection module 104, a
sound processing module 108, and an assistance request module 112.

[0024] The noise detection module 104 is configured to monitor ambient
noise through a microphone 106 on a digital telephony device that is
operating in an idle state. The microphone may be a hands-free type
microphone, or another type of microphone, such as the microphone in the
telephone's handset or a built-in microphone in a wireless telephony
device.

[0025] An idle state is a state in which the telephone is not being used
for communication. The term "idle state" is also commonly referred to as
"on hook", signifying that the handset is on the phone. When the digital
telephony device is in an idle state then the microphone 106 can be used
to receive ambient sounds. The sounds are converted by the microphone to
an electrical signal. The signal from the microphone may be amplified by
an amplifier 110. An average amplitude of the acoustic energy 114
received at the microphone is referred to herein as the ambient noise
level.

[0026] The ambient noise level received by the microphone 106 can be
determined in a number of ways. For example, the acoustic energy may be
monitored for a selected interval of time, such as 2 seconds. The
amplitude of the noise level can be averaged over the selected interval
of time to determine the ambient noise level. The amplitude may be
measured with respect to a base line or another type of respective level.
A number of other techniques may also be used to measure an average
ambient sound amplitude level, as can be appreciated. Any technique that
can be used to determine an average ambient sound level amplitude over a
selected period of time may be used.

[0027] In one embodiment, the ambient noise level can be updated at
selected intervals. For instance, the ambient noise level may be
continuously monitored and updated every 6 seconds. This enables the
ambient noise level to be adjusted to compensate for significant changes
in ambient noise. Ambient noise levels may significantly change when a
room suddenly becomes occupied by one or more persons or when another
type of change occurs such as during a break time or a lunch time period.
Ambient noise levels may also change with respect to machinery or the use
of electronic equipment. Updating the ambient noise level at frequent
intervals can further reduce the detection of false positives that may be
reported as distressed sounds.

[0028] The actual rate of update of the ambient noise level may be
selected based on system requirements and acoustic conditions in the room
in which the system will be located. For instance, in a quiet office the
update rate for the ambient noise level may be relatively slow, such as
every 20 seconds. Alternatively, in a machine shop where heavy equipment
are turned on and off, the rate of update may be relatively short, such
as every 2 seconds to enable significant changes in acoustic noise to be
taken into affect.

[0029] In one embodiment, if audio is detected that is a selected amount
greater than the ambient noise level then the update rate may be turned
off for a selected period so that the ambient noise level isn't
inadvertently increased to be greater than the distressed sound. For
instance, the update window may be turned off, allowing the ambient noise
level to be maintained at the same level, for 10 seconds after the audio
is detected as having an amplitude greater than the ambient noise level.
The length of the update window and the turn-off period can be selected
to provide an appropriate ambient noise level for the environment in
which the telephony device is located that enables an ambient noise level
to be determined that will minimize the reporting of false positives, as
previously discussed.

[0030] The sound processing module 108 is configured to process sounds
received by the microphone that have an amplitude that is a selected
amount greater than an amplitude of the ambient noise. For instance, FIG.
2 illustrates an example waveform 200 of an audio signal produced by the
microphone 106 and output by the amplifier 110. The waveform is divided
into different sections representing the signal at different periods.

[0031] Section A of the waveform 200 represents an audio signal that may
be received during typical use of a digital telephone with the microphone
106. Typical use is referred to herein as "off hook". When the phone is
off hook then the distressed sound monitoring system can be turned off.

[0032] Section B of the waveform 200 represents an audio signal when the
phone is not in use and is "on hook". The audio signal represents ambient
noise received at the microphone 106 and amplified by the amplifier 110.
A distressed sound threshold 202 is represented by the dotted lines 204
that are positioned a selected distance away from an average ambient
sound level. The actual position of the distressed sound threshold can be
adjusted over time, as previously discussed, based on the ambient sound
levels received. The distressed sound threshold is set at an amplitude
that is a selected amount greater than an average value of the ambient
noise level. The average value of the ambient noise level may be
represented by two different levels, representing an average high signal
level and an average low signal level relative to a baseline, such as
zero volts or another direct current offset or selected baseline.

[0033] The distressed sound threshold 202 can be set at a selected level,
such as four times (6 dB) the amplitude of the average high and low
amplitude levels of the ambient noise waveform 200 in Section B. The
actual distressed sound threshold level can be selected based on system
criteria and the acoustics of the location in which the system is
located. For instance, a room in which loud noises typically occur, such
as a machine shop, may have a distressed sound threshold level that is
greater than a room that is typically relatively quiet, such as an
office. The distressed sound threshold may be measured with respect to a
single level or may be set with an upper threshold value and a lower
threshold value, as shown in FIG. 2 by the dotted lines 204.

[0034] In one embodiment, ambient noise amplitudes that occur within the
distressed sound threshold level can be monitored by a microprocessor
such as a digital signal processor using a relatively low resolution
sampling mode. The use of a low resolution sampling mode can reduce the
amount of power used to process the ambient noise.

[0035] Section C of the waveform 200 provides an example of an amplitude
of the waveform increasing to a level greater than the distressed sound
threshold level 202. When an amplitude of the audio signal received at
the microphone 106 exceeds the distressed sound threshold level for a
predetermined amount of time, such as 100 milliseconds, then the
processor may be switched to a higher resolution sampling mode. The
higher resolution sampling mode can be useful in determining whether the
received audio signal substantially matches a predetermined acoustic
model.

[0036] Speech recognition software can be used to compare the waveform 200
with predetermined statistical models of selected sounds. Speech
recognition software typically uses a statistical model to determine
whether a waveform matches a prerecorded waveform to identify a specific
term. Speech recognition models such as the Hidden Markov models or
Dynamic Time Warping based speech recognition can be used to create
statistical models of selected words, phrases, and sounds. The digital
signal processor can then sample the waveform 200 when the waveform has
an amplitude greater than the distressed sound threshold 202 and compare
the waveform with the statistical models to determine whether the
waveform is substantially similar to a predetermined statistical model of
a distressed sound. Sampling the waveform at a higher rate when the
amplitude is greater than the distressed sound threshold enables a more
accurate analysis to be performed between the waveform and the
predetermined statistical models using speech recognition models.

[0037] Section D of waveform 200 represents an example waveform of a
distressed sound that is greater than the distressed sound threshold 202.
The distressed sound can be matched to a predetermined statistical model
to identify the type of sound, word, or phrase represented by the
waveform.

[0038]FIG. 3 provides a block diagram of one example illustration of a
device 300 configured to operate the modules disclosed in FIG. 1. The
device is comprised of a microphone 306, an amplifier 310, a
microprocessor such as a DSP 320, and a digital memory 330. Acoustical
energy is received by the microphone 306 and converted to an electrical
signal that can be amplified by amplifier 310. The output of the
amplifier is a waveform, such as the waveform 200 shown in FIG. 2. The
processor can monitor ambient noise at a low resolution when the device
300 is not being used. An analog to digital converter may be used to
convert the output of the amplifier to a digital representation of the
waveform. The waveform can then be processed as previously discussed.
When the amplitude of the waveform is greater than the distressed sound
threshold then the waveform can be compared to and matched with a
predetermined statistical model. The predetermined statistical models for
desired words, phrases, and sounds can be stored in the digital memory
330 that is in communication with the processor 320.

[0039] The device 300 may be included in a digital telephone such as a
desktop telephone, as previously discussed. In one embodiment, a digital
telephone or group of digital telephones can be licensed to operate the
modules illustrated in the system of FIG. 1. The device can also be
incorporated in or licensed to operate in other types of communication
devices, such as a cellular telephone, a handheld computing device, a
tablet computing device, a desktop or laptop computing device, and so
forth. The device can operate, as previously discussed, independent of
the type of apparatus that the device is incorporated in, using the
processor to analyze ambient noise to determine if a distressed sound is
received with an amplitude greater than a distressed sound threshold. The
level of the distressed sound threshold is set based on the amplitude of
the average ambient noise.

[0040] Returning to FIG. 1, when the sound processing module 108 matches a
distressed sound waveform from the noise detection module with a
predetermined statistical model then the assistance request module 112 is
configured to take an action based on the type of distressed sound that
is detected. For instance, if the waveform substantially matches a
statistical model for the word "fire" then the assistance request module
can be configured to send a communication to a desired party, such as a
building manager, a company safety officer, or a call to an emergency
number to report the fire. The message may include an automated voice
message, a text message, an email, or the like.

[0041] In addition to sending a request for assistance, the assistance
request module 112 can be configured to communicate an audio track
received by the microphone to an audio storage device for a selected
period of time after the request for assistance has been transmitted. For
instance, the audio track received by the microphone may be stored on a
digital memory at the digital telephony device or at a location in
communication with the digital storage device. In addition, the audio
track may be communicated to the emergency number to enable the emergency
responders to obtain additional information about the potential
emergency.

[0042] The type of message that is sent by the assistance request module
112 may depend on the type of device that the system is operating in. A
smart phone or other type of computing device may be capable of sending
more complex information, such as text, audio and/or video. In addition
to providing audio and location information, additional information may
be provided as well. For instance, a digital telephony device, such as a
smart phone or other type of computing device, may also include a digital
camera. When a distressed sound is detected, pictures or video
information can be forwarded with the audio information to the selected
party. The visual information may be used to enhance a response team's
understanding of conditions at the digital telephony device. Selected
digital telephony devices can be provided with additional sensors, such
as a temperature sensor or other environmental type sensors. The sensor
information can be communicated to the selected party to enable them to
provide the best response in view of the communicated information from
the audio, visual, and environmental sensors. A desktop phone may be
limited to sending an audio message. The message can be formatted to
provide the desired communication to the selected party.

[0043] Other types of sounds, such as breaking glass or a more vague term
such as "help" may be reported to a different party, such as a company's
security team, depending on the type of detected sound. If the sound of a
gunshot is detected then the assistance request module 112 may be
configured to automatically send a report to an emergency response
number, such as 911.

[0044] The assistance request module 112 can also be configured to
announce that a request has been made. For instance, if the distressed
sound monitoring system is implemented in a desktop phone, the phone's
hands free speaker system can be used to play an automated message, such
as "help has been requested" or "a request for assistance has been sent
to the emergency response number". Alternatively a visual indicator
announcing the receipt of the distress message and impending call for
help may be used, either by itself, or in connection with an audible
alert, such as a voice announcement.

[0045] In one embodiment, the assistance request module 112 can be
configured to implement a delay between the announcement and actually
sending the message. For instance, the announcement may report "A help
request has been identified. A request for help will be sent in 5
seconds". A person can select cancel if the request is a false positive,
for example by touching a cancel button, raising and hanging up the
handset, or by entering a security code into the phone. For certain
sounds, such as the sound of a gunshot, there may be no delay to
eliminate the possibility of the request for help being cancelled by a
potential perpetrator of a crime.

[0046] In one embodiment, a plurality of distressed sound monitoring
systems 100 can be connected to a common server 120 or several
interconnected servers. For instance, the distressed sound monitoring
system can be implemented in a digital phone. A plurality of digital
phones in a business or building can be connected to a telephony server
such as a private branch exchange (PBX) server or another type of
telephony server such as an internet protocol call server.

[0047] The server 120 can provide additional functionality. For instance,
a call server can include information about each digital telephone that
is connected, including information pertaining to the telephone's
location in the building and the user of the telephone. This information
can be of great benefit when a request for assistance has been sent.
Caller ID information can be used by an emergency response crew to locate
the building or company in which the telephone call was sent, but
additional location information, such as where the phone is located in
the building or buildings may not be available. The server can be
configured to add location information to the request for assistance,
such as identifying that the phone from which the request for assistance
was sent is located on the 17th floor, northwest office and is
typically used by John Smith.

[0048] In one embodiment, the audio detected by the microphone of each
idle digital telephony device connected to the server can be streamed to
the server 120. The detected audio from each telephony device can then be
processed at the server, or another location in a computing cloud, to
determine if audio is received with an amplitude greater than the
distressed sound threshold and also substantially matches a predetermined
statistical model of a distressed sound, as previously discussed.

[0049] Multiple distressed sound monitoring systems 100 may all detect the
same distressed sound. For instance, a loud shout, an explosion, or a gun
shot may be detected by a plurality of desktop phones in an office
building with an open architecture. In one embodiment, an approximate
location of the distressed sound can be determined based on the amplitude
of the sound detected by each of the plurality of desktop phones. The
sound processing module 108 can identify an amplitude characteristic of
the distressed sound. The amplitude characteristic may be a maximum
amplitude, an amplitude over a period of time, or another means of
identifying the relative distance of the sound with respect to the phone.

[0050] The amplitude characteristic can then be reported to the assistance
request module 112. The amplitude characteristic may be reported on a
scale, such as 0 to 100. The assistance request module can be configured
to communicate the amplitude characteristic to the call server 120. When
a plurality of assistance requests are received at the call server in a
short time then the call server can be configured to identify an
approximate location of the sound by forwarding the assistance request
with the greatest amplitude characteristic to the desired party. Since
the assistance request can also include location and identification
information, identifying the request for assistance having the highest
amplitude characteristic is likely closest to the source of the distress
call. This will also reduce the chances of sending multiple requests that
all pertain to the same potential distressed sound to the desired party,
such as an emergency phone number. The assistance request module can also
communicate video information and/or environmental information for a
selected period of time after the request for assistance has been
transmitted, as previously discussed.

[0051]FIG. 4 provides a flow chart illustrating one process used by a
device such as a voice over internet protocol (VOIP) digital telephony
device that is licensed to operate the system of FIG. 1. A determination
can be made as to whether the telephony device is set to idle. If the
device is being used then calls made on the device are processed as
normal. If the device is not being used then a determination can be made
of the device's class of service (COS) options. The COS options can
include whether the phone can be used for long distance, for conference
calls, and so forth. In one embodiment, each phone can be licensed to
operate the system of FIG. 1. When a phone is licensed, then the COS
option for distress call monitoring is enabled.

[0052] If the digital telephony device has a license to operate the system
of FIG. 1 then a determination can be made as to whether the software
needed to run the system has been loaded in the VOIP telephony handset.
If not, the software can be downloaded to operate on the phone's digital
signal processor and random access memory. Once the program is operating
on the handset, and a determination is made that the phone is not in use,
then the hands free microphone or other type of microphone can be enabled
and the audio detected by the microphone can be monitored. When a
distress call is detected then a request for assistance can be
communicated. The request for assistance may be a call to a desired
location, such as a security desk with the caller ID denoting a message
such as "emergency call send for assistance".

[0053] In another embodiment, a method 500 for monitoring for a distressed
sound using an array of digital telephony devices in communication with a
digital telephony server is disclosed, as depicted in the flow chart of
FIG. 5. The method includes the operation of monitoring 510 an amplitude
of an ambient noise level using a microphone on at least one digital
telephony device in the array of digital telephony devices. In one
embodiment, the microphone may be a hands-free microphone. The monitoring
can occur when the digital telephony device is operating in an idle
state. Other types of microphones, such as a microphone on a smart phone
or other type of computing device may be used as well, as previously
discussed. Sounds detected by the microphone that have an amplitude that
is a selected amount greater than the amplitude of the ambient noise can
be processed 520. The processed sounds that substantially match a
predetermined statistical model of a distressed sound can be identified
530. A request for assistance related to the distressed sound can be sent
540 via the digital telephony device when the distressed sound matches
the predetermined statistical model.

[0054] The request for assistance can include information pertaining to
the location of the digital telephony device. The digital telephony
devices in the array may be located in separate rooms, on separate
floors, or even in different buildings. The location information can be
obtained from a digital telephony server to which the digital telephony
device is connected. The location information may be identified by the
digital telephony server based on information stored in the server for
each digital telephony device connected to the server. When multiple
requests for assistance are received within a short period, such as
within 10 seconds, then the location information can be obtained by
analyzing the amplitude characteristic sent with each request for
assistance, as previously discussed.

[0055] It is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention
disclosed are not limited to the particular structures, process steps, or
materials disclosed herein, but are extended to equivalents thereof as
would be recognized by those ordinarily skilled in the relevant arts. It
should also be understood that terminology employed herein is used for
the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended
to be limiting.

[0056] It should be understood that many of the functional units described
in this specification have been labeled as modules, in order to more
particularly emphasize their implementation independence. For example, a
module may be implemented as a hardware circuit comprising custom VLSI
circuits or gate arrays, off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic
chips, transistors, or other discrete components. A module may also be
implemented in programmable hardware devices such as field programmable
gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable logic devices or the
like.

[0057] Modules may also be implemented in software for execution by
various types of processors. An identified module of executable code may,
for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical blocks of computer
instructions, which may, for instance, be organized as an object,
procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the executables of an identified
module need not be physically located together, but may comprise
disparate instructions stored in different locations which, when joined
logically together, comprise the module and achieve the stated purpose
for the module.

[0058] Indeed, a module of executable code may be a single instruction, or
many instructions, and may even be distributed over several different
code segments, among different programs, and across several memory
devices. Similarly, operational data may be identified and illustrated
herein within modules, and may be embodied in any suitable form and
organized within any suitable type of data structure. The operational
data may be collected as a single data set, or may be distributed over
different locations including over different storage devices, and may
exist, at least partially, merely as electronic signals on a system or
network. The modules may be passive or active, including agents operable
to perform desired functions.

[0059] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an
embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic
described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one
embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in
one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this
specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

[0060] As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements,
compositional elements, and/or materials may be presented in a common
list for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though
each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and
unique member. Thus, no individual member of such list should be
construed as a de facto equivalent of any other member of the same list
solely based on their presentation in a common group without indications
to the contrary. In addition, various embodiments and example of the
present invention may be referred to herein along with alternatives for
the various components thereof. It is understood that such embodiments,
examples, and alternatives are not to be construed as defacto equivalents
of one another, but are to be considered as separate and autonomous
representations of the present invention.

[0061] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics
may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the
following description, numerous specific details are provided, such as
examples of lengths, widths, shapes, etc., to provide a thorough
understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the
relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced
without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods,
components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures,
materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid
obscuring aspects of the invention.

[0062] While the forgoing examples are illustrative of the principles of
the present invention in one or more particular applications, it will be
apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous
modifications in form, usage and details of implementation can be made
without the exercise of inventive faculty, and without departing from the
principles and concepts of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended
that the invention be limited, except as by the claims set forth below.